Sewing Studio Tour – Wendy Cettina Original Designs LLC

Yesterday I had my monthly meeting with my Association of Sewing & Design Professionals group. It's an organization I belong to for people who make their living doing something having to do with Sewing. I love this group of ladies because they all sew REALLY well and I always leave the meetings & retreats with this group SUPER inspired.

Yesterday was no exception. We had originally planned to meet at the FIT Museum in NYC but because of the pandemic we thought better and met up at our presidents house. And we were all delighted to see that she had brought the museum to us. 

Wendy (who you'll meet below) hung up a white sheet in her doorway and used that as a screen and she projects two movies that were produced by the FIT Museum. We got to watch both of them and then discuss them together. We also had a potluck lunch and had our monthly business meeting. 

After all this was finished I noticed Wendy's "she shed" behind her house.  I knew this is where she does all her sewing and I asked if we could have a little tour. She agreed and took us all back there. I made a little video to share with all of you. I don't know about you, but getting to see where people sew and get creative is just such a treat. Especially when it's an adorable She Shed Studio in the back yard. 

Have a look for yourself:

Wendy Cettina - Wendy Cettina Original Designs, LLC.

Bio:

My mother taught me how to sew when I was 8 years old. Both of my grandmothers were sewers, and I remember them in their sewing rooms back when having a sewing room was more common!  I had a doll (similar size to an American Girl doll), it came with sewing patterns, and my mother and I made clothes for it.  My mom made a lot of clothes for me and I remember cutting some out with her and learning the basics such as the importance of carefully pinning the cloth together and ironing every seam.

When I went to college I brought my sewing machine with me. Some stuff I made was kind of wacky, like a skirt from curtains (aka The Sound of Music) and a dress from some random fabric an old boyfriend had used for a toga. I remember I made a drop-waist dress for a dance with these big flowers at the waist. A couple of my roommates wore it to other events after that.

It wasn't until after college, when I was working for a construction management firm, that I began sketching clothes and sewing my own designs, not working straight from patterns I had purchased. I began accumulating fabric and supplies ( important for the creative process!) and learning better techniques. This is when I took a class in Baltimore by Sarah Veblen, professional sew-er, nation-wide instructor and author. It all clicked for me and the world of sewing and creating whatever I wanted cracked wide open! Since then I've taking several design classes from Sarah, Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and at ASDP conferences. Now, I sew most of my clothes.

My business, Wendy Cettina Original Designs, LLC, started while I was staying at home with my son (now 18) and is a combination of teaching, custom and alteration work. I like the variety and flexibility of working for myself in my home-based studio.  Right now I’m not taking in new work and am using the time to update my business plan and goals. I’ve been a member of ASDP for about seven years and have been on the New Jersey chapter’s board. I feel that being a member is an  excellent credential and gives another layer of professionalism to my business.